


a helping hand (or eight?)

by alexanderlightweight



Series: Words of October 2019 [24]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, Flirting, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Semi-Sentient Tentacles, Smitten, Soft Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Tentacles, Tentacletober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-16 02:42:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21028925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexanderlightweight/pseuds/alexanderlightweight
Summary: “Get those things away from me,” Alec said warningly and there was a moment where he thought he’d been listened to and then- “Magnus, really?”“I’m reading Alexander, I don’t know what you think is happening, besides I’m far too tired to be doing anything.  I’m only awake to claim my morning kiss and say goodbye.” Magnus said and when Alec glanced over, his eyes were firmly on the book in front of him, lips pursed in concentration as he turned a page.





	a helping hand (or eight?)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lynne_monstr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lynne_monstr/gifts).

> for tentacletober prompt: get those things away from me
> 
> (I'm still out of order oops)

“Get those things away from me,” Alec said warningly and there was a moment where he thought he’d been listened to and then- “Magnus, really?” 

“I’m reading Alexander, I don’t know what you think is happening, besides I’m far too tired to be doing anything. I’m only awake to claim my morning kiss and say goodbye.” Magnus said and when Alec glanced over, his eyes were firmly on the book in front of him, lips pursed in concentration as he turned a page.

“I think that I’m trying to get ready for work,” Alec said and as he caught movement out of the corner of his eye, he shifted to avoid the touch. “I have a meeting with Jia, I’m not going to be late just because you’re having a magical impotence problem.” 

“I’d say that I’m having the very opposite of impotence, magical or otherwise.”

“Right, so are you going to do something or?”

“Yes darling, I’ll spoil their fun and insist they behave so you can go do your job.”

Alec tried not to shiver as very slowly, his shirt was buttoned. Tiny little suckered kisses were pressed in between each button and he resisted the urge to give in and let himself be persuaded back to bed. True to his word, Magnus’ tentacles were the very pinnacle of helpfulness, even going so far as to help him into his jacket and straighten his shirt collar and then, Alec swallowed slowly and turned a glare towards his husband.

“Really Magnus? A tie? Since when do I wear a tie to work?” 

Magnus snickered, closing his book and tossing it to the bed as he rose gracefully. He was still in loungewear, having gotten home from an emergency fairly late and Alec hoped Magnus was planning to go back to bed and rest more once he was gone, he’d been working far too hard as usual. 

“They just want you to look professional,” Magnus promised and Alec tried to focus on his husband rather than the feel of his tie being delicately wrapped around his neck, tugged into place and intricately tied. The tapered ends of Magnus’ tentacles brushed teasingly against his jaw, throat and Adam’s apple far too many times for it to be completely innocent and focusing on Magnus was like trying to stare at the galaxy and not be overwhelmed by it’s beauty and power.

“Oh you play so unfair,” he muttered and ignoring his husband’s chuckle he leaned in for a kiss. The brush of Magnus’ goatee against his freshly shaved skin had him clutching at Magnus’ shoulders and he resisted the urge to linger, pulling back with a soft sigh.

“You do love it when I play though,” Magnus said and instead of teasing it was soft and fond and Alec could only nod, completely smitten.

“I do,” he promised, as he would always promise for anything that involved Magnus. “I’ll see you tonight for dinner?” He asked as he checked to make sure his briefcase had all the files he needed for the day and that his stele was discreetly tucked in the glamoured holster Magnus had made for him.

“Mm, I might be a bit late actually. I have to portal to Dakar for a meeting with the High Warlock there, you might have to fend for yourself or wait until I bring something back with me.” 

“I’ll wait for you, but you don’t have to bring anything back. I can pick something up from here if that’s easier.” Alec offered and then realized his mistake when his husband scoffed good-naturedly. 

“While you certainly know your way around a breakfast menu and you are doing a wonderful job of endearing yourself to a roasting pan, the rest of your people are not so blessed. Maybe leave the cleaning up after ichor to your shadowhunters and let me bring dinner home? Takes me a minute to snap my fingers and the last time you cooked after a stressful meeting with Jia, the poor roast was martyred.” 

“It was a _ very _ demanding meeting,” Alec defended sheepishly but grinned and stole another kiss for good measure, “but thank you, that sounds perfect.” He went to leave and felt an impatient tap on his shoulder, turning he gave a small laugh at the tentacle currently scolding him. “Yes I’m sorry. I forgot you and after you all did such a good job too.” He held out his hand, petting the tentacles that came over and giving each a quick peck, tickling them gently as he said goodbye. 

-

Magnus waited until Alec was gone to call his tentacles back to him, letting them coil and dance sleepily about him, their energy waning in the wake of Alexander’s departure. 

“He’s cute when he tries to be helpful,” he announced to the quiet loft, “but we really do need to work on his palette more.” One of his tentacles tugged on his hair in shared humor, clearly agreeing with him. “Yes, yes. I’m aware that we’re due for a date night, no thanks to you,” he told them. They did so hate to be glamoured around Alec and lately, what with living together and being married, they were out and about more than they had been for centuries. It made nights out a bit of an adventure and while Alec had thankfully gotten used to invisible tentacles coping a feel or two, it also made it more stressful when Magnus tried to relax with his husband around mundanes.

“We never had this problem with other people,” he reminded them tersely, “so I know you’re just being greedy.” He also knew that a part of it was his subconscious, the soft insecure parts of himself that he’d buried deep and separated from his core while under his father’s tender patronage and influence. 

He’d never fully reintegrated that piece of himself and seeing as it was firmly attached to him despite the separation, he’d never considered it necessary. It would take more effort than it was worth to do so and as long as they remembered the rules _ -or most of them anyways- _ he didn’t mind the small semblance of independence he had granted his secondary warlock mark. Alec’s ease with his tentacles had been the exception in Magnus’s long life but then again, everything about Alec was different. Never, before Alexander, had someone loved him so wholly or unconditionally, completely accepting all of him and not just what Magnus showed to the world. 

The thought made him smile and he gently stroked the tentacle that had draped over his shoulders as he pondered his life now and how different it was. A moment later he yawned and found himself being tugged back to bed, tentacles fluffing the pillows and pulling back the blankets and smoothing the sheets for him to lie back down. “Good idea,” he said and yawned again, “a nap before this afternoon is just what we need.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm getting addicted to how much fun semi-sentient tentacles are and this is getting to be a problem.
> 
> I'm on tumblr as [alexanderlightweight](https://alexanderlightweight.tumblr.com)


End file.
